Bonelike/PLGA hybrid materials for bone regeneration: preparation route and physicochemical characterisation.

Bonelike/PLGA hybrid materials have been developed using gamma-MPS as silane-coupling agent between the inorganic and organic phases for controlled drug delivery applications. Silanization showed to be more effective when cyclohexane was used as a non-polar solvent (nP method) due to a chemical interaction between Bonelike, and the silane film, while by using a 95/5 (V/V) methanol/water as a polar solvent (P method), a much thinner film was achieved. Functional groups of PLGA, such as the carbonyl group (C=O), were identified using Raman and FTIR-ATR analysis and therefore these groups may be used to link therapeutic molecules. These novel hybrid materials prepared by combining silanization and post-hybridisation processes are expected to find use in medical applications of bone regeneration and as drug delivery carrier for therapeutic molecules.